


What Once Was

by ThisIsLightful



Series: Friend-Bending [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 12:41:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11253411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisIsLightful/pseuds/ThisIsLightful
Summary: Zuko and Toph used to be nobility, and they're both feeling a bit homesick. It's teatime, though, so maybe they can remember a bit of what home tastes like.This Just In: I'm terrible at summaries.





	What Once Was

Zuko was lost. Adrift. He wanted his Uncle so bad, was begging Agni for the comfort of his Uncle’s advice. He was alone, he felt. Alone and afraid.

 

He trained the Avatar. Sparred with Sokka. Helped around the camp. But these people didn’t trust him- Katara’s words turned venomous whenever he was around, and no one cared enough to stand between those words and he. Zuko supposed he deserved it, deserved a lot worse, if he was being honest.

 

He’d been to this temple, right after his father had burned him.  _ Had cast him as unworthy as the role of the son.  _ The Western Air Temple had been the first place Zuko had looked for the Avatar, and his Uncle had left something behind. Underneath the floorboards, in a quiet corner that Zuko had almost forgotten about, his Uncle had placed a box of tea.  _ “You never know if we might return- tea is always good, Prince Zuko! For the spirit and the body. Remember that, if nothing else.”  _ Zuko needed a bit of familiarity: his heart ached and his eyes burned, threatening to sear him with water. To betray him with weakness.

 

“Hey, Flamebrain.” Zuko startled, nearly dropping the pot he held.

 

Sighing, Zuko resigned himself to being insulted, although Toph was much more amicable than the others. “What do you need, Toph.” he tried to keep his voice level, focusing on heating the water. He had considered boiling the whole thing in his hands, but had quickly realized that the metal would burn him if he did, and he was  _ not  _ going to pull a Sokka.

 

“Nothin’.” She picked her nose and flicked a booger away. Zuko tried not to let it disgust him. Tried and failed. “Just wonderin’ what you were doing all quiet over there, Sparky.”

 

“Sparky?” Zuko’s immediate protest to the name went unnoticed.

 

“So,  _ Sparky, _ ” Zuko didn’t even have to look to tell that the earthbender was grinning like the madman she was, “You makin’ tea?”

 

“Yeah.” The tea was almost done, and Zuko wanted to avoid this social interaction. “Reminds me of my Uncle.” A beat of somber silence. The tea was done. Zuko took out a cup, and saw the longing look on Toph’s face. His mouth spoke before his brain could interrupt, “Would you like some?” Zuko was going to die. This was it. He hated himself. He wanted a quiet moment to himself and he had just invited Toph, who was loud and abrasive and the exact opposite of quiet, to tea. His face burned red, and he was just glad that Toph couldn’t see it.

 

“I’d love some tea, Sparky.” A few quick movements, and a table and two chairs were made from rock. “Earthbending has its uses.” Pouring the tea as she sat, Zuko was surprised to find her posture ramrod straight, her smile small, and her legs crossed. “You know, I was a noble.”

 

“You were?” Zuko couldn’t keep the incredulity out of his words. “I mean, cool.” He recomposed himself. Toph was radiating nobility and Zuko found himself mimicking it, feeling oddly fond. This was normal for him, or at least, it once was normal.

 

“I was.” She took a sip from her tea, looking almost regal. “You’re Uncle made great tea, I’m guessing you didn’t learn from him?” It was a subtle insult, but it was the type of insult that would be seen as overt if Zuko were still Prince. He shoved down a grin, drank some of his tea.

 

“My Uncle is a great man, and tea is his forte. I’m not quite at his level yet, but I’m learning. My Uncle is such a well mannered man, and I remember you saying that you met him briefly. I see you haven’t learned anything at all from him, though.” They went back and forth for awhile, both rusty when it came to subtle insults and both enjoying the banter.

 

It became almost a routine, for them. Toph would come down in her nicest clothes, Zuko would invite her to tea, he’d pour her cup, and they’d chat. The relaxed language they usually used turned rigid, they spoke of politics, they discussed their past and the problems of the court. It was oddly fun. The others were confused by it, but they wouldn’t understand, none of them were raised like he and Toph were. 

 

After, a nostalgic mood would take up, and they’d sit in near silence for a few beats, and then Toph would get up and loudly complain, pop her back and storm off, and the cycle would repeat.

 

Toph was homesick, it seemed, despite her anger towards her parents.

 

Zuko could relate. He’d been homesick for years.

 

Right now though, he sipped at his tea, and thought that he might be able to taste the love his Uncle had shown him.


End file.
